Energy efficient management, such as routing of data packets, is a critical issue for networks including nodes with constrained power source. According to the power source of the node, the nodes can be classified into two categories, i.e., nodes with constrained power source such as battery-powered nodes (BPNs) and nodes with un-constrained power source such as mains-powered nodes (MPNs). In some applications, battery replacement is impractical or impossible. Therefore, in wireless networks including the BPNs, prolonging network lifetime becomes critical. The network lifetime is generally defined by the operation time of the battery powered node that first runs out of battery power.
Based on resource and capability of the node, the wireless networks can be classified into homogeneous and heterogeneous. In a homogeneous wireless network, all nodes have identical resources and capabilities. All nodes are either battery powered, or mains powered. A wireless sensor network is an example of homogeneous wireless network in which all nodes are typically battery powered. Electric smart meter network is another example of homogeneous wireless network in which all nodes are mains powered. On the other hand, in a heterogeneous wireless network, nodes have different resources and capabilities, e.g., some nodes can be battery powered and have small memory and limited computational capabilities, and other nodes can be mains powered and have greater memory and computational capabilities.
In a wireless network with battery powered nodes, a key objective of network management, such as routing, is to maximize the network lifetime. A node consumes its energy for data transmission, data receiving, control message transmission and control message receiving. This category of energy consumption is considered as necessary energy use. A node also consumes its energy on idle listening, overhearing, collision and retransmission. This category of energy consumption is considered as energy waste. One of the main goals for the energy saving management is to minimize the energy waste.
However, the energy related management methods designed for homogeneous wireless network do not work well for heterogeneous wireless networks. For example, the routing methods designed for homogeneous networks do not consider and leverage heterogeneity. In addition, some methods reduce the energy consumption of the homogeneous network by synchronizing operations of the nodes of the network. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,298,716 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,356,561 describing methods that use centralized sleep control mechanism in which a node can only sleep during a pre-specified time period. However, the synchronization of the network can reduce the collision of the data packets, but also can increase idle time resulting in additional energy waste. In addition, synchronization packet transmission and receiving also result in extra energy waste.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a system and a method for energy efficient management of heterogeneous multi-hop wireless networks including battery-powered nodes and mains-powered nodes.